100 feet. 80 feet. 60 feet.
When we left off, a male lion was charging directly at me in the Okavango Delta. (Find Part 1 of the story here.)
Basta fiercely whispered, “DON’T RUN!”
I had my binoculars laser-focused on the lion. He was so close I could see every rippling muscle.
I did not move. Not one part of my body. I was a statue with binoculars. Well, a statue whose heart was thundering in her chest.
The lion skidded to a halt, raising a cloud of dust around his massive paws.
Then he turned, walked around a bush, stopped on the other side, and stared straight at me. Through my binoculars, I looked directly into his golden eyes.
I will never, ever forget that moment. I stared right into the golden eyes of one of the world’s fiercest predators. I felt so alive. So awed. So dazzled.
He growled again—a sound I felt deep in my solar plexus.
And then he charged. A second time.
Next week: The story finale: The Vapor and the Aftermath
The Business Lesson: Clarity and Predictability are Key to Safety. My guide, Basta, with his clear instructions and predictable, slow movements, was our safety net. Any panic or sudden erratic action on our part would have been disastrous. In the digital world, an accessible website operates on the same principle: clarity and predictability. Users, especially those with disabilities, need consistent navigation, clear focus states, and a logical structure. Erratic design choices, confusing menus, or jumping focus states don’t just annoy; they cause digital frustration and make your site unusable for many, effectively “charging” them off your page.
The Business Lesson: The Critical Role of Proper Training (The Guide). I survived that day because of Basta, a highly trained, experienced guide who knew the specific environment, the animal’s behavior, and the precise response required. You wouldn’t trust an untrained person to navigate you through a dangerous African bush, so why trust an amateur with the accessibility of your most important digital asset? Your website is your storefront, your information hub, your direct line to customers.
But the lion wasn’t done with me yet… He was skidding to a halt for the second time, but this time he was closer. The dust was settling, and the silence that followed was eerie.
In the final part: The “Deep Breath” and why sustainability is actually about resilience.
